Dehumidifiers Buying Guide

What is a dehumidifier and why might you need one? Dehumidifiers are designed to improve indoor air quality by regulating the amount of humidity and moisture in the air. By removing excess moisture from a room, dehumidifiers help alleviate some of the unpleasantness, discomfort and health hazards caused by a build-up of moisture. They help take away the cold and clammy feeling sometimes experienced in basements and make breathing easier, while diminishing reactions from those suffering from mould-induced allergies. Dehumidifiers also help protect your furniture and investments from the damaging effects of increased humidity and foster conditions needed for improved sleeps.

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Features

Capacity

When choosing a dehumidifier you should ask yourself: Is it big enough? Units that are too small can not only be less effective in reducing humidity, they can let humidity get out of control and usually have a higher operating cost over time. A dehumidifier’s performance is measured in the amount of moisture in pints per 24 hours it extracts from the air and is determined by two factors: the size of the space that needs to be dehumidified and the conditions that exist in the space before dehumidification. In general, the higher the output, the faster a dehumidifier will remove water from the air and the larger a space it can dehumidify. The easiest way to select the right capacity dehumidifier for your needs is to use a dehumidifier selection guide.

Additional Features

There are many dehumidifiers available and it can be difficult to know which unit is the best for your needs. In addition to capacity capabilities, the unit you choose should meet the rest of your needs, not necessarily a minimum purchase price that might lead to greater expenses over the long term. Here are some questions and that you might wish to consider when deciding on a dehumidifier.

Automatic Shut Off Shuts the unit off when the tank or pan is full.

Adjustable Humidity ControlsVaries the amount of moisture removed from the air.

Efficient “Energy Factor” The number of litres of water removed from the air for each kilowatt/hour of electricity used. Dehumidifiers that are ENERGY STAR® qualified are the most efficient models in their rating categories. ENERGY STAR qualified models have lower operating costs for each litre of water removed versus the amount of electricity consumed. Selecting an ENERGY STAR labelled dehumidifier might save you on operating costs.

Easy-to-use Digital Controls Manual, rotary knob, controls are the simplest to operate. Automatic humidistats offer the convenience of selecting, and automatically maintaining, a desired comfort level. Fan speed control provides the ability to operate at a quieter setting. Advanced electronic controls include many additional features such as readouts of room environment and operating settings, audible alarm, pause, and automatic fan speed control.

Frost-free/Low Temperature Operation Most dehumidifiers come equipped with an automatic defrost. If the room is too cool, a dehumidifier can frost over and stop removing moisture. Automatic defrost will melt this build-up so that moisture can again be collected. For much colder environments, some models come with ‘Low Temperature Operation’ which will further extend the effective operating temperature of a dehumidifier.

Reset Resets your preset conditions after a power interruption

Draining Capability Allows you to drain the unit into a sump or laundry tub.

Note: Those with allergies might want to avoid dehumidifiers with deodorizing filters, as scents added to the air might trigger reactions over time.